Refrigerating unit with resilient support



1955 J. H. HEIDORN ET AL REFRIGERATING UNIT WITH RESILIENT SUPPORT 2Sheets-Sheei 1 Filed April 1, 1954 IIYVENTORS Heldorn and Y Thomas H.Fogr.

John H.

Then Attorney Fig. 2.

Nov. 15, 1955 J. H. HEIDORN ET AL 2,723,538

REFRIGERATING UNIT WITH RESILIENT SUPPORT Filed April 1, 1954 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3.

49 A Q I2 INVENTORS John H. Heidorn and Their Attorney.

United States Patent REFRIGERATING UNIT WITH RESILIENT SUPPORT John H.Heidorn and Thomas H. Fogt, Dayton, Ohio, as-

signors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation ofDelaware Application April 1, 1954, Serial No. 420,236 7 Claims. (Cl.62-116) This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus andparticularly to an arrangement for carrying an operating unit of suchapparatus upon a support mounted on a part of a refrigerator cabinet.

It is an object of our invention to provide a simplified, rugged andlong-life resilient mounting for a motor-compressor unit of arefrigerating system in a refrigerator cabinet while at the same timepermitting a limited rotary movement of the unit relative to itssupport.

Another object of our invention is to provide a mounting arrangement fora sealed casing containing'a motor and compressor driven thereby whichwhile cushioning vibrations of the casing normally permits a limitedrotary movement thereof relative to its support and converts the forceof any abnormal rotation thereof into a swingingmovement of the casingin pendulum fashion and which also eliminates the necessity of providingspecial or additional hold-down belts or clamps for the sealed casing.

A further object of our invention is to provide an improved sealedcasing carrying means which limits movement thereof relative to itssupport in or on arefrigerator cabinet during shipment of the cabinetand which yieldingly affords a rotary movement of the casingparticularly during the starting and/ or stopping of a motor-compressorWithin the casing.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a carryingarrangement for mounting a casing containing a motor and a compressorupon a support in a refrigerator cabinet which is in the form of Ushapedresilient rubberlike members to cushion vibrations of the casing, topermit a limited rotary movement of the casing relative to its supportand to isolate sounds generated by operating elements in the casingagainst transmission through the easing support to the refrigeratorcabinet. 7

In carrying out the foregoing objects it is a more specific object ofour invention to utilize the resiliency of reinforced leg portions. ofsubstantially U-shaped rubberlike mounting members of a sealedmotor-compressor casing for absorbing vibrations of a casing supportedthereon, to yieldingly check rotary movement of the casing relative toits support in a refrigerator cabinet and to associate means with theelements employed to clamp the mounting members in position forpositively arresting any abnormal rotary motion of the casing.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, refeience being had to the accompanyingdrawings wherein a preferred form of the invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevational view of a preferredembodiment of the invention showing a motorcompressor contained in acasing mounted in a machine compartment of a refrigerator cabinet;

Figure 2 is a broken side elevational' view taken on the line 2-2 ofFigure 1 showing opposed mounting members at two substantially equallyspaced apart points around a sealed casing; I 1

2,723,538 Patented Nov. 15, 1955 Figure 3 is a broken or fragmentary topview of the motor-compressor casing mounted on its support;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of one of the casing carryingmeans and is taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is another vertical sectional View through the one casingcarrying means taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of ourinvention is disclosed, reference numeral 10 in Figure 1 thereofindicates a wall or walls of a refrigerator cabinet having a machinecompartment 11 provided in its lower portion. A rigid metal frame 12within. compartment 11 and stationarily bolted in any suitable manner toa part of cabinet 10 forms or provides a support for carrying a sealedmetal casing 14 containing an electric motor and a compressor driventhereby of a portion of a refrigerant translating unit of a closedrefrigerating system associated with the refrigerator 10. Therefrigerant translating unit of the refrigerating system also includes arefrigerant condenser or condensing coil 16 carried by suitable brackets17 and mounted on the frame-like support 12 by suitable bolts or thelike 18. The closed refrigerating system also includes a refrigerantevaporator (not shown) utilized to cool the interior of a food storagechamber or compartment (not shown) provided or formed within therefrigerator cabinet 10 and which evaporator is connected with therefrigerant translating unit by suitable conduits. The construction andoperation of a closed refrigerant system associated with a refrigeratorcabinet is now well known to those skilled in the art and needs nofurther description herein.

The hermetically sealed casing 14, containing the motor and compressor,has metal heat radiating fins 21 welded or otherwise rigidly secured inintimate thermal contact therewith. These fins 21, in addition to aidingin dissipating heat from casing 14, serve as means for securing wings orL-shaped wing brackets 22 to casing 14 for supporting the same upon theframe support 12. As best indicated in Figures 3 and 5 of the drawings,one of a pair of substantially L-shaped metal wing brackets 22 are spotwelded to the metallic heat radiating fins 21 on opposite sides of thesealed casing 14 so as to be spaced apart an equal distance around thecasing. The horizontal portion of each of these wings or wing brackets22 is provided with a central round hole and a pair of slightlyelongated holes 23 on either side of the central hole (see Figures 3 and4). This horizontal portion of brackets 22 also has its side edges bentdown, as at 24, and thence inwardly as at 26, to form a portion of atying and clamping means for. a purpose to be hereinafter described.Vibration absorbing and sound insulating or deadening means areassociated with the wing or wing brackets 22 for carrying or supportingthe sealed casing 14 upon its support or frame 12. Each of the pair ofmounting or casing carrying means, disposed at substantially equallyspaced apart points around casing 14, comprises or includes a resilientsubstantially U-shaped rubber-like member generally represented by thereference numeral 30 and having a U shaped strap-like spring metalinsert 31 embedded therein. Each of the U-shaped members 30 includesupright substantially parallel leg portions 32 and an integral bightportion 33. The end of each leg or leg portions of U- shaped members 30is enlarged to provide inner and outer horizontal shoulders 34 and 35respectively thereon for a purpose to be presently described. Eachmember 30 is provided with two small round bosses 36 depending from thelower surface of its bight portion 33 and round bosses 37 extendingupwardly from the end surface of each leg portion 32 thereof. The bosses36 normally project into suitable holes provided in the frame or support12 and the bosses 37 normally project into the elongated holes 23provided in the L-shaped wing brackets 22 (see Figure 4). Means isprovided for tightly clamping the bight por-' tion 33 of each resilientU-shaped rubber-like member 30 to support 12. This means is in the formof a screw or bolt 41 which passes through a suitable hole provided insupport 12 and is threaded into a tapped hole provided in the lowerportion 42 of a substantially C-shaped metal element 43, located on topof the bight portion 33 of member 30 and disposed between the legs 32thereof (see Figures 4 and The upper portion 44 of C-shaped element 43is provided with a round opening 45 for a purpose to be presentlydescribed. Means is provided for tying the ends of both legs or legportions 32 of the U-shaped members 30 to one another and for clampingthe ends of legs 32 to casing 14 by way of the wing brackets 22. Thislatter clamping means comprises or includes a plate 46 having its sidesbent downwardly and thence inwardly as at 47. Plate 46 is provided witha central extruded and tapped hole and a screw or bolt 48, having anintegral stud 49 depending from the threaded shank portion thereof, isthreaded into the tapped hole in plate 46 to clamp this plate tightlyagainst the enlarged ends of the legs of U- shaped member 30 and to alsoclamp this member tightly to the wing brackets 22 secured to casing 14.The stud 49, formed integrally with screw or bolt 48, normally projectsthrough the opening 45 in C-shaped element 43 and is positionedcentrally within this opening 45. It will be noted that the tying andclamping means for the leg portions 33 of U-shaped resilient rubber-likemembers 30 causes the inwardly bent edge portions 26 on brackets 22 toabut against the outer shoulders 35 and the bent-down edges 47 of plate46 abut against the inner shoulders 34. It should also be noted thatWhile metallic clamping means are employed to secure the casing mountingmeans upon its support 12 there is no direct metal-to-metal contactbetween the casing 14 or its brackets 22 and support 12 and that thesound deadening U-shaped members 30 thus prevent transmission of noisecreated in casing 14, by operation of the motor and compressor therein,to the support 12 and to cabinet 10.

We have discovered that the presently disclosed arrangement servesseveral purposes in the mounting of a sealed casing, having a motor anda compressor disposed one above the other therein, upon a support. Theleg portions 32 of U-shaped rubber-like members 30 cushions up and downmovement of sealed casing 14. Due to the leg portions 32 of members 30being disposed substantially at right angles to a portion of an areabout the circumference of cylindrical casing 14 the resiliency of theseleg portions is sufficient to yieldingly snub any normal rotary movementof the casing relative to support 12. The arrangement is such that themounting or carrying means withstands jars and jolts of the casing 14relative to its support 12 during shipment of a refrigerator cabinet andthat any abnormal rotary force imparted to casing 14, during shifting ofthe refrigerator cabinet upon a floor and/or during shipment thereof, isarrested by the studs 49 engaging the wall of openings 45 in theC-shaped element 43. After a refrigerator cabinet having amotorcompressor sealed within a casing located therein has beeninstalled in a home the most objectionable movement of the casingrelative to its support has been found to be due to starting and/ orstopping of the motor and compressor. That is at the moment that themotor and compressor starts operating or their operation is stopped themotor rotor, motor shaft and compressor eccentric causes an unbalancedcondition within the sealed casing 14 and this tends to rotate thecasing. This rotation of casing 14 causes the leg portions 32 of members30 to tilt, in parallelism, at an angle relative to the vertical andthus the leg portions 32 absorb and snub rotary movement of the easingrelative to its support and yieldingly limits this rotation to anormally predetermined distance. When the rotary force of casing 14diminishes or terminates the resilient leg portions 32 of members 30tend to resume Cir their normal vertical position and thus return casing14 to its normal location. The U-shaped spring metal straplike insert31, embedded in the U-shaped rubber-like members 30, in addition toincreasing the supporting strength of leg portions 32 also increase theresiliency thereof and aid in pulling the leg portions 32 back into anormal vertical position after being tilted by the rotary movement ofcasing 14. If, during shipment of casing 14 in a refrigerator cabinet orduring shifting of the refrigerator cabinet on a floor, an abnormalrotary movement of casing 14 tends to take place the stud 49, on screwor bolt 48, will engage the wall of opening 45 in C-shaped elements 43to positively stop or arrest any such abnormal movement. Obviously toomuch rotary movement of casing 14 relative to its support 12 mightfracture a refrigerant conduit or its connection to the sealed casing.The resiliency of leg portions 32 of members 30 is further utilized foranother purpose. When such an abnormal force or rotary movement ofcasing 14 occurs, to cause stud 49 to engage the C-shaped elements 43,this rotary force is converted into a force which, by virtue of theresiliency of leg portions 32 of members 30, tends to create apendulum-like movement of casing 14 upon its carrying members 30. Thusby dividing any abnormal force imparted to the sealed motor-compressorcontaining easing into both a rotary and a pendulum swinging movementthereof the danger of fracturing conduits and/or their connection to thecasing is eliminated.

From the foregoing it should be apparent that we have provided asimplified and improved resilient carrying arrangement having atwo-point mounting of a motorcompressor casing upon a support in arefrigerator cabinet wherein the casing is at all times free to move inseveral directions and its movement is cushioned or normally snubbed.Our improved arrangement in addition to absorbing high frequencyvibrations also deadens or prevents any noise created thereby from beingamplified and transmitted to the cabinet or to the room in which thecabinet is located. By converting abnormal rotary movement imparted tothe sealed casing into a pendulum swinging movement thereof jars orshocks applied thereto are readily absorbed by the carrying means hereindisclosed. Also by reinforcing the rubber-like members of our presentcasing carrying arrangement with a spring metal insert the resiliencyand life of these members are prolonged.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosedconstitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted as may come within the scope of the claims whichfollow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In combination, a refrigerator cabinet, a refrigerating systemassociated with said cabinet and having a refrigerant translating unitincluding a motor and a compressor driven thereby sealed within a casingand adapted to be started and stopped, means for carrying said casing attwo substantially equally spaced apart points therearound upon a supportmounted on a part of said cabinet, each of said carrying meanscomprising a resilient substantially U-shaped rubber-like member havingits legs disposed in upright side by side relationship, means clampingthe bight portion of said U-shaped member to said support, means tyingthe ends of both upright leg portions of said U-shaped member to oneanother and securing the same to said sealed casing, the starting and/orstopping of said motor and said compressor imparting a rotary movementto said casing relative to said support, that part of said leg portionsof each of said U- shaped members intermediate said clamping means andsaid tying and securing means yieldingly snubbing the rotary movement ofsaid casing and limiting the same to a normal predetermined distance,and means associated with said clamping means and with said tying andsecuring means for arresting rotation of said casing beyond said normalpredetermined distance upon abnormal rotation of the casing with respectto said support said part of said leg portions of said membersconverting the abnormal rotary force of the casing into a swingingmovement thereof in pendulum fashion.

2. In combination, a refrigerator cabinet, a refrigerating systemassociated with said cabinet and having a refrigerant translating unitincluding a motor and a compressor driven thereby sealed within a casingand adapted to be started and stopped, means for carrying said casing attwo substantially equally spaced apart points therearound upon a supportmounted on a part of said cabinet, each of said carrying meanscomprising a resilient substantially U-shaped rubber-like member havingits legs disposed in upright side by side relationship, means clampingthe bight portion of said U-shaped member to said support, means tyingthe ends of both upright leg portions of said U-shaped member to oneanother and securing the same to said sealed casing, the starting and/orstopping of said motor and said compressor imparting a rotary movementto said casing relative to said support, that part of said leg portionsof each of said U-shaped members intermediate said clamping means andsaid tying and securing means yieldingly snubbing the rotary movement ofsaid casing and limiting the same to a normal predetermined distance,and said U-shaped rubber-like members having a metal strap-like springinsert embedded therein for increasing their supporting strength and thesnubbing action thereof.

3. The combination of a refrigerator cabinet and a refrigerating systemassociated therewith having a refrigerant translating unit including amotor and a compressor driven thereby sealed within a casing and adaptedto be started and stopped comprising, means for carrying said casingupon a support mounted on a part of said cabinet, said carrying meansincluding resilient substantially U-shaped rubber-like members spacedapart around said sealed casing, said U-shaped rubber-like members eachhaving its legs disposed in upright side by side relationship, meansclamping the bight portion of said U- shaped members to said support,means tying the ends of both upright leg portions of said U-shapedmembers to one another and securing the same to said sealed casing, thestarting and/or stopping of said motor and said compressor imparting arotary movement to said casing relative to said support, and said tyingand securing means erving to cause each leg portion of said resilient U-shaped rubber-like members to yieldingly snub the rotary movement ofsaid casing.

4. The combination of a refrigerator cabinet and a refrigerating systemassociated therewith having a refrigerant translating unit including amotor and a compressor driven thereby sealed within a casing and adaptedto be started and stopped comprising, means for carrying said casingupon a support mounted on a part of said cabinet, said carrying meansincluding resilient substantially U-shaped rubber-like members spacedapart around said sealed casing, means clamping the bight portion ofsaid U-shaped members to said support, means tying the ends of both legportions of said U-shaped members to one another and clamping the sameto said sealed casing, the starting and/ or stopping of said motor andsaid compressor imparting a rotary movement to said casing relative tosaid support, said leg portions of said resilient U-shaped rubber-likemembers yieldingly snubbing the rotary movement of said casing andlimiting the same to a predetermined distance, and said U-shaped membershaving a U-shaped spring metal strap-like insert embedded therein forincreasing their supporting strength and the snubbing action thereof.

5. In combination, a refrigerator cabinet. a refrigerating systemassociated with said cabinet and having a refrigerant translating unitincluding a motor and a compressor driven thereby sealed within a casingand adapted to be started and stopped, means for carrying said casingfrom a support mounted on a part of said cabinet, said carrying meanscomprising resilient substantially U-shaped rubber-like members spacedapart around said casing, means clamping the bight portions of saidU-shaped members to said support, means tying the ends of both legportions of said U-shaped members to one another and clamping the sameto said sealed casing, the starting and/or stopping of said motor andsaid compressor imparting a rotary movement to said casing relative tosaid support, said leg portions of said resilient U-shaped rubberlikemembers yieldingly snubbing the rotary movement of said casing andlimiting the same to a normal predetermined distance, means arrestingrotation of said casing beyond said normal predetermined distance, andsaid last named means including a part of one of said clamping meansprojecting through an opening in a part of the other of said clampingmeans.

6. In combination, a refrigerator cabinet, a refrigerating systemassociated with said cabinet and having a refrigerant translating unitincluding a motor and a compressor driven thereby sealed within a casingand adapted to be started and stopped, means for carrying said casingfrom a support mounted on a part of said cabinet, said carrying meanscomprising resilient substantially U-shaped rubber-like members spacedapart around said casing, means clamping the bight portion of saidU-shaped members to said support, means tying the ends of both legportions of said U-shaped members to one another and clamping the sameto said sealed casing, the starting and/or stopping of said motor andsaid compressor imparting a rotary movement to said casing relative tosaid support, said leg portions of said resilient U-shaped rubber-likemembers yieldingly snubbing the rotary movement of said casing andlimiting the same to a normal predetermined distance, means forarresting rotation of said casing beyond said normal predetermineddistance, said last named means including a part of one of said clampingmeans projecting through an opening provided in a part of the other ofsaid clamping means, and said U-shaped rubber-like members having aU-shaped spring metal insert embedded therein for increasing theirsupporting strength and the snubbing action thereof.

7. In combination, a refrigerator cabinet, a refrigerating systemassociated with said cabinet and having a refrigerant translating unitincluding a motor and a compressor driven thereby sealed within a casingand adapted to be started and stopped, said casing having mounting wingsthereon disposed at two substantially equally spaced apart pointstherearound, means connected to said wings for carrying said sealedcasing from a support mounted on a part of said cabinet, said carryingmeans comprising a resilient substantially U-shaped rubber-like memberhaving a U-shaped spring metal strap-like insert embedded therein,clamping means for securing the bight portion of said U-shaped member tosaid support and including a bracket intermediate the leg portions ofsaid member having an opening therein, means tying the ends of both legportions of said U-shaped member to one another and clamping the same toa wing on said sealed casing, said last named tying and clamping meansincluding a stud projecting through the opening in said bracket, thestarting and/or stopping of said motor and said compressor imparting arotary movement to said casing relative to said support, said legportions of said resilient U-shaped rubber-like members yieldinglysnubbing the rotary movement of said casing and limiting the same to anormal predetermined distance, and said stud engaging the wall of theopening in such bracket for arresting rotation of said casing beyondsaid normal predetermined distance and converting the rotary force intoa force tending to swing said casing in pendulum fashion.

Cooper Nov. 24, 1953 Wurtz Sept. 21, 1954

